Our culture promotes the idea of hustling, the pursuit of busy-ness, and productivity. But I have to say (and maybe this is because I'm a therapist and talk about this all the time), I've noticed people are craving a slower pace. People are noticing how working too much and resting too little really impacts their lives, relationships, and work.

We’ve got so much to do and so little time that the idea of spending time doing anything unrelated to the to-do list actually creates stress. 

— Brené Brown

In the era of #girlboss, it's easy to get caught up in the idea of having it all. Excelling at work, impressing the boss, eventually becoming the boss, working on your side hustle- all while gracefully maintaining healthy relationships with friends and family. Oh, and maybe add dating to that too. It's fine. Right?

Well. Maybe it's not. Each of us still only have 24 hours in the day. We have work, school, and other responsibilities that need our attention. Our minds, bodies, and souls need time to relax and just be.

In my work as a counselor, I'm constantly talking with young women about the importance of self-care. And how to resist the message that self-care is selfish. And taking a second look at what it actually means to be kind to ourselves.

One thing about feeling overwhelmed is that thinking clearly often goes out the window. Just when you want to do something to take care of yourself, it's hard to come up with an idea!

Enter this list. I've come up with 25 things you can do to take care of yourself. Some of them will resonate with you. Other won't. And that's okay. Pick and choose what works for you.

Buy a magazine outside of your usual interests and read it (credit to Gretchen Rubin!)

Book a massage

Take a solo trip somewhere special

Listen to a complete album, not just the singles

Listen to a non-work related podcast

Organize your closet and donate what you don't need- or like!

Buy yourself flowers

Start shopping for the holidays now to prevent last-minute stress

Use essential oils for calming and grounding

Take a moment and find one thing on that list that sounds restorative to you. Now find (or make) time in your schedule to make it happen. Scheduling something increases the chances you'll actually make it happen- something Gretchen Rubin talks about on her podcast, Happier (and presumably in her books, which I have not yet read). Scheduling is a strategy to use when creating habits- and in order for self-care to become a regular part of your life, it may need to become a habit.

Whether you use a calendar on your phone or a paper calendar, be intentional about scheduling self-care. Make an appointment with yourself sometime this week- and don't cancel!

Counseling is an investment in current and future self. If you're tired of your 20s being consumed with worry and fear, I want you to know there is hope. It does not have to be like that. It can feel so frustrating to see anxiety call the shots in your life. When you're ready to make a change, schedule your first counseling appointment.